Venetian blind tilt mechanism



Dec 3, 1940. MCKERLIE I 2,223,633

VENETIAN BLIND TILT MECHANISM Filed July 3l, 1940 Q INVENTOI}. 60496 A W/KQ/TV/e i 93\- W ATTORNEY 5.

Patented Dec. 3, 1940 PATENT OFFICE .VENETIAN BLIND 'rmr MECHANISMGeorge F. McKerlie, Sturgis, Micln, assignor to Kirsch Company, Sturgis,Mich.

Application July 31, 1940, Serial No. 348,648

14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in Venetian blind tiltmechanisms.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds and particularly to thetilting mechanism. It has for its objects:

First, to provide a new and improved tilting mechanism for Venetianblinds which may be either disposed in a sheet metal casing or may bemounted on a conventional head member.

Second, to provide such a tilting mechanism which is simple inconstruction and which can be produced economically primarily as metalstampings.

Third, to provide such a mechanism which can be easily assembled or.disassembled.

Fourth, to provide such a mechanism which operates most effectively tocompletely close the slats of a Venetian blind when they are tilted toclosed position.

Further objects and advantages pertaining to details and economies ofconstruction and operation will appear from the description to follow.The invention is defined in the claims. A preferred embodiment of myinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the top portion of a Venetian blindembodying my improved tilting mechanism, partly in section on line l-lof Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a top elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the left end of the tilting mechanism shown in Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2. i

For the purposes of illustrating my invention, I have shown a Venetianblind head construction I, which consists of a channel shaped sheetmetal 91mm member 2 in which the tilting mechanism indicated generallyat 3 is disposed. This tilting mechanism consists of supporting brackets4 which are made as sheet metal stampings and each of which has a singleupstanding web 5. which is apertured at 6 to slidably and rotatablyreceive and support a square of D-shaped shaft 1. A roller 8 which ispreferably of wood provided with a central axial aperture 9 is looselyfitted 50 on the shaft I for rotation thereon. Since the shaft I is ofsubstantially uniform diameter throughout its length, this roller may heslid along the shaft to its operative position adjacent the upstandingweb I of the bracket 4.

55 In the preferred form of the invention, the

aperture 8 of the web 5 opens to the top thereof and is of generalkey-hole shape, so as to serve to retain the D-shaped bar 'I in positionwhen the D-bar rests in the position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 with itsflattened side upward. The open- 5 ing to the top of the web 5 is wideenough, however, to permit the D-bar, when it is turned 90 in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4, to be snapped upwardly outthrough the opening at the top of the aperture 6. 10

The tilt member I0 is formed of a strip of sheet metal bent to aU-shape. The central portion ll thereof is provided with a slot 12through which the ends l3 of the ladder tapes l4 may be passed to befastened with a fastening element 35 IS. The ends of the legs 18 of thetilt member l0 are provided with squared or D-shaped openings H whichslidably fit the shaft 1 in nonrotative engagement so that rotation ofthe shaft 1 will swing the tilting member from side to side. 20 Thecentral portion ll of the tilting member clears the roller 8 whichserves as a spacing roller for the ladder tapes H.

The rod I extends into and is fixed in a hub l8 of a worm wheel l8mounted in a bracket 20 in 25 which a worm 2| is mounted in engagementwith the worm wheel Hi. The worm 2| is rotated by a suitable pulley 22which is operated in a conventional manner by depending cords 23.

The blind is provided also with the usual lift cords 24 which raise theslats 25 in a conventional manner. The blind is supported by suitablebrackets 26.

The tilt mechanism which I have provided is extremely simple inconstruction since both the supporting bracket 4 and the tilting memberIll can be made as sheet metal stampings. They can be easily assembledby merely sliding the rod 1 through the parts in their assembledarrangement and the roller 8 and the tilt member Ill 40 are all held inassembled position merely by the insertion of the rod 1 without thenecessity for other fastening means.

In the preferred form of the mechanism, the assembly is very simplebecause the tilting members l0 and the rollers 8 may be assembled on theD-bar. The D-bar is then turned with its flat side in a position 90 in aclockwise direction from that shown in Fig. 4 and is snapped into theaperture 6 of the web 5, the web being inserted between the roller 8 andthe tilt member I0. This greatly simplifies the assembly of the tiltmechanism since after the rod I has been snapped into position it can bemoved longitudinally so that its end will fit into the worm wheel tion,but it will be apparent that other forms can be provided. The terms andexpressions which have been herein employed are used as terms ofdescription and not of limitation. There is no intention in the use ofthese terms and expressions 'of excluding any equivalents of thefeatures shown and described or portions thereof. It is recognized thatvarious modifications are possible within the scope of the inventionclaimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a squared tilt shaft ofsubstantially uniform cross section, a supporting bracket having asingle upstanding sheet metal web apertured to slidably receive androtatably support said shaft, a ladder tape spacing roller axiallyapertured to slidably receive said shaft and be rotatably supportedadjacent said web thereby, a U-shaped sheet metal tilt member embracingsaid roller and said web with its central portion clearing said rollerand having ladder tape engaging means thereon and having squaredapertures in the ends of its legs to slidably fit said shaft innon-rotative engagement, whereby rotation of said shaft will actuatesaid tilt member and whereby said tilt member and said roller will bekept in position axially.

2. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a squared tilt shaft ofsubstantially uniform cross section, a supporting bracket having asingle upstanding web apertured to slidably receive and rotatablysupport said shaft, a ladder tape spacing roller axially apertured toslidably receive said shaft and be rotatably supported adjacent said webthereby, a U-shaped tilt member embracing said roller and said web withits central portion clearing said roller and having ladder tape engagingmeans thereon and having squared apertures in the ends of its legs toslidably fit said shaft in non-rotative engagement, whereby rotation ofsaid shaft will actuate said tilt member and whereby said tilt memberand said roller will be kept in position axially.

3. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a. squared tilt shaft ofsubstantially uniform cross section, a supporting bracket having asingle upstanding sheet metal web apertured to slldably receive androtatably support said shaft, a ladder tape spacing roller axiallyapertured to slidably receive said shaft and be supported adjacent saidweb thereby, a U-shaped sheet metal tilt member embracing said rollerand said web with its central portion clearing said roller and havingladder-tape engaging means thereon and having squared apertures in theends of its legs to slidably fit said shaft in non-rotative engagement,whereby rotation of said shaft will actuate said tilt member and wherebysaid tilt member and said roller will be kept in position axially.

4. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a squared tilt shaft ofsubstantially uniform cross section, a supporting bracket having asingle upstanding web apertured to slidably receive and rotatablysupport said shaft, a ladder tape spacing roller axially apertured toslidably receive said shaft and be supported adJacent said web thereby,a U-shaped tilt member embracing said roller and said web with itscentral portion clearin said roller and having ladder tape engag meansthereon and having squared apertures in the ends of its legs to slidablyflt said shaft in non-rotative engagement, whereby rotation of saidshaft will actuate said tilt member and whereby said tilt member andsaid roller will be kept in position axially.

5. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a

squared tilt shaft of substantially uniform cross section, a supportingbracket apertured to slidably receive and rotatably support said shaft,a ladder tape spacing roller axially apertured to slidably receive saidshaft and be rotatably supported adjacent said bracket thereby, a U-shaped tilt member embracing said roller and said bracket with itscentral portion clearing said roller and having ladder tape engagingmeans thereon and having squared apertures in the ends of its legs toslidably fit said shaft in nonrotative engagement, whereby rotation ofsaid shaft will actuate said tilt member and whereby said tilt memberand said roller will be kept in position axially.

6. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a squared tilt shaft ofsubstantially uniform cross section, a supporting bracket apertured toslidably receive and rotatably support said shaft, a ladder tape spacingroller axially apertured to slidably receive said shaft and be supportedadjacent said bracket thereby, a U-shaped tilt member embracing saidroller and said bracket with its central portion clearing said rollerand having ladder tape engaging means thereon and having squaredapertures in the ends of its legs to slidably fit said shaft innon-rotative engagement, whereby rotation of said shaft will actuatesaid tilt member and whereby said tilt member and said roller will bekept in position axially.

7. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a tilt shaft, a ladder tapespaclngroller rotatably mounted on said shaft, and a U-shaped tiltmember embracing said roller with its central portion spaced therefromand having means thereon to engage a tape ladder, and having the ends ofits legs engaging said shaft in non-rotatlve relationship.

8. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a tilt shaft, a ladder tapespacing roller mounted on said shaft and a U-shaped tilt memberembracing said roller with its central portion spaced therefrom, andhaving means thereon to engage a tape ladder and having the ends of itslegs engaging said shaft in non-rotative relationship.

9. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a ladder tape spacing roller anda tilt member extending parallel with but beyond the periphery of saidroller and having means for ladder tape attachment, and means for movingsaid tilt member about said roller;

10. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a shaft having a D-shaped crosssection, a supporting bracket therefor having an upstanding web havinganaperture to rotatably receive and support said rod and having anarrowed portion opening to an edge of said web and of a widthsubstantially the same as the narrowest dimension of said shaft, wherebysaid shaft can he slid into supported position through said narrowedportion of said aperture, an axially apertured ladder tape spacingroller supported on said rod adjacent said web, and a-U-shaped tiltmember having its legs provided with D-shaped apertures to fit saidshaft in non-rotative engagement and embracing said roller and said weband with its central portion clearing said roller and having ladder tapeengaging means thereof whereby the tilt member and roller will be heldin position axially of said rod by said web and whereby the rod with thetilt member and roller thereon may be easily removed from or placed insaid aperture.

11. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a shaft, a supporting brackettherefor having an upstanding web having an aperture to rotatablyreceive and support said rod and opening to an edge of said web wherebysaid shaft can be slid into supported position from the edge of saidweb, an

axially apertured ladder tape spacing roller sup ported on said rodadjacent said web, and a U- shaped tilt member having its legs innon-rotative engagement with said shaft and embracing said roller andsaid web and with its central portion clearing said roller and havingladder tape engaging means thereon whereby the tilt member and rollerwill be held in position axially of said rod by said web and whereby therod with the tilt member and roller thereon may be easily removed fromor placed in said aperture.

12. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a rod having a 'roller rotatablymounted thereon and having a U-shaped tilt member non-rotatably mountedthereon and embracing said roller and having its central portionclearing said roller and having ladder tape engaging means thereon, anda supporting bracket having an upwardly extending web adapted to beinserted between one end of said roller and said tilt member and havingan aperture opening to the edge thereof to permit passage of said rod,whereby said roller and tilt member may be assembled on said rod andsaid 'rod may then be placed in supported relationship on said bracketby insertion into said aperture with said web lying between said rollerand said tilt member.

13. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a rod having a roller thereonand having a U-shaped tilt member non-rotatably mounted thereon andembracing said roller and having its central portion clearing saidroller and having ladder tape engaging means thereon, and a supportingbracket having an upwardly extending web adapted to be inserted betweenone end of said roller and said tilt member and having an apertureopening to the edge thereof to permit passage of said rod whereby saidroller and tilt member may be assembled on said rod and said rod maythen be placed in supported relationship on said bracket by insertioninto said aperture with said web lying between said roller and said tiltmember.

14. In a Venetian blind tilt mechanism, a rod having a roller for laddertape spacing means thereon and having a tilt member non-rotatablymounted thereon and embracing said roller and having its central portionclearing said roller and having ladder tape engaging means thereon, anda supporting bracket having an upwardly extending web adapted to beinserted between one end of said roller and said tilt member and havingan aperture opening to the edge thereof to permit passage of said rod,whereby said *roller and tilt member may be assembled on said rod andsaid rod may then be placed in supported relationship on said bracket byinsertion into said aperture with said web lying between said roller andsaid tilt member.

GEORGE F. MCKERLIE.

